Looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines



L. ONDEBDONK. LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-*SHEET I.

8 mum/$01 L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1916.

1 ,332, 4:47. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2- L.-ONDERDONK. I LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWINGMACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24, 191s.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

um/who;

L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLlCATION FILED MAY24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETSSHEET 4- (Mann avg 7K mo s L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5 Suveutoz QM M Elf/11mm APPLICATION FILED MAY24. I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6 APPLICATION FILED MAY24,19I6.

Patented Mar. '2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24. I916.

a citizen of the United States,

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTCE. i

LANSING ONDERDONK, OF NEW YORK, N. 35., ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIALMACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOPER-OPEBATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1916. Serial No. 99,620.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, residin at New York, in thecounty of New Ybrk, State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Looper-Operating Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines,of which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in looper operatingmeohanisms for sewing machines, and more particularly to a looperoperating mechanism of the character shown and described in my priorPatents, Nos. 1,111,703 and 1,111,704, granted September 22, 1904.

An object of the invention is to provide a looper operating mechanismwherein the looper support may be oscillated and moved endwise from anoperating shaft located beneath the work support through a single trainof mechanism also disposed below the work support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a looper operatingmechanism of the above character wherein the looper is moved into andout of the needle loop on the same side of the needle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means forconnecting the looper carrier to the looper support and controlling saidconnections so that the loopers may be shifted laterally to threadingposition. only when said loopers are at the rear end of their stroke,and to also provide a controlling means whereby the main shaft is lockedagainst rotation while the loopers are in threading or inoperativeposition.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way. of illustration one embodiment ofthe inven tion:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a machine having my improvements appliedthereto, the work support being removed;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in plan, of the partsbeneath the work support;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 41 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in endelevation, certain of the parts being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism for operating and moving thelooper support endwise;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view showing, more or less diagrammatically, the looper, theneedle, the work support, and the eccentric for operat ing the looper,the looper being at the rear end of its stroke, and also showing indotted lines the looper at the forward end of its stroke;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing, more or less diagrammatically, the throatplate, the looper and the needle, the looper being at the rear end ofits stroke, and showing in dotted lines the looper at the forward end ofits stroke;

Fig. 10 is a detail inplan showing the connection between the operatinglever for the looper and the intermediate rock shaft;

Fig. 11 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation,showing the end of the operating lever for the looper, the loopersupport, the intermediate rock shaft, and the connections between thelooper support and the rock shaft and between the looper and the rockshaft;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the rock shaft, showing the arm which isconnected to the looper support;

Fig. 13 is a detail in section through the head on the end of the loopersupporting shaft, also showing the sliding rod which imparts movement tothe looper supporting shaft; 0

Fig. 1 1 is a detail 1n vertical sect on showing the means whichreleases the latch for the looper carrier in position for releasing thelatch;

Fig. 15 is a detail, partly in section and partly in plan, showing thereleasing pin for lifting the latch and. the end of the latch;

Fig. 16 is a detail view in plan showing the looper support, the loopersand the needles.

Fig. 17 is a similar view, but showing the looper moved to position forthreading.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view showing multiple needle sewing machinewherein theneedles are arranged abreast and the loopers are moved backand forth in the general clirection of the line of'feed. In my priorpatents, I. have shown a looper mechanism wherein the looper enters theneedle loop and moves, out of the needle loop on the same side of theneedle. Said looper is positioned, when at the forward end of itsstroke, so as to carry the looper thread to the opposite side of theneedle and said looper is retracted in time for the needle to pass thelooper on the same side as when the needle loop is taken by the looper.This construction and method of operating the looper does away with allnecessity of using 100p spreaders and the looper is moved back and forthin substantially the same path.

The present invention is especially directed to'the mechanism foroperating the looper support so as to give the looper the requiredmovements; This is accomplished by alever which is located beneath thework support and which is oscillated from an eccentric strap cooperatingwith an eccentric on the main shaft beneath the work support. The loopersupport on which the looper is mounted is capable not only ofoscillation but ofendwise movement, and this is accomplished by a singleoscillating rock shaft which receives. itsmovements from the leverreferred to, and saidrock shaft, owing to its oscillation about avertical axis, not only oscillates the looper support but moves the sameendwise.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: My improved machine consistsof a supporting bed 1 carrying an overhanging arm 2 on whichis mounted aneedle lever 3. Said needle lever is pivoted at 1 and is oscillated byan eccentric strap 5 which cooperates with an eccentric on the mainshaft 6. At the forward end of the overhanging arm 2t'here is areciprocating needle bar 7 which. is connected by a link 8 to the needlelever 3. Said needle bar, as herein shown, is provided with fourneedles,indicated at 8. The material to be stitched rests on the work support 9and is held thereon by a presser foot 10 carried by a presser bar 11which are of the usual construction.

The material is fed across the work. support feed dogs 12 which aremounted on the feed bar. 13 This feed bar is moved back and forththrough a connection 14; at the end of the main shaft 6, and said feedheld in place by set-screws 18. The looper carrier 17 is mounted on alooper support 19 which is herein shown as in the form of a shaftextending through bearings 20 and 21.

The looper carrier 17 is in the form of a yoke having arms 22 whichencircle the loopcr support 19. Intermediate these arms 22 of the yokethere is a collar 23 which is firmly clamped to the looper support by aset-screw 2 1. This collar project's upwardly and is recessed, at 25, soas to receive the lower side of the looper carrier 17. The collar 24' isthe sole means for connecting the looper carrier to the'support forcausing the same to oscillate therewith. The carrier is held fromendwise movement on the looper support by a latch 26. This latch is inthe form of a spring arm fixed at 27 to the looper carrier, and saidlatch has a laterally extending lip 28 which is normally disposed on theleft hand side of the collar '23 and prevents the carrier from beingmoved'to the right, asviewed in Fig. 1. When theloopers are in positionto' cooperate with the needles and the latch is in its operativeposition, the arm 22 of the looper carrier rests against the collar 23and this prevents the looper carrier from moving farther to the left, asviewed in this figure. After the disengag ing of the latch 26, thelooper carrier may be slid along the looper support to the right, asviewed in Fig. 1, so as to bring the loopers out from underneath thefeed dogs into position for convenience in threading, the slide plate 9on the work support permit ting access to the loopers when they are soshifted.

Inasmuch as the loopers are movable latorally to position for threading,it is essential to provide some means for preventing the disconnectingor lateral movement of the loopers, except when the loopers are at therear ends of their strokes, so that the lateral movements of the looperswill not disturb the stitches. which have been formed, nor strike theneedles. It is also essential to provide means for holding the mainshaft against rotation as long as the loopers are moved laterally toinoperative or threading position. To this end, means is provided forraising the latch 26, which means can only be operated when the loopersare at the rear end of their. stroke. This means also engages a movingelement on the main'shaft, which performs the double function of timingof the releasing of the latch so that it can only'be released when theloopers are at the rear'ends of their strokes, and of locking the shaftagainst rotation until the loopers are returned to their operativeposition.

As shown in the drawings, 1 have provided a latch lever 29 which has ahandle 3C extending toward the front of the machine to a position whereit may be easily accessible to the operator. This lever is pivoted at 31to a suitable bracket 21 carried by the machine, and said lever extendsrearwardly from the bracket to a point directly underneath the mainshaft 6. The rear end of the lever is turned up at Mounted on the mainshaft 6 is a collar 33 having a recess 34 formed therein. When thisrecess is in register with the end 32 of the lever 29, the outer end ofsaid lever may be pressed downward, and the up-turned portion 32 willmove up into said recess. lVhen, however, the recess is not in alinementwith the upturned end of the lever 29, then the collar 33 serves as astop to prevent this lever from being depressed to the full extent whenengaged by the operator. Extending through the collar 23 is a pin whichis directly underneath the latch 26. The lever 29 has an arm 36 which isadapted to engage the pin 35 provided the lever can be moved to its fullextent, and this engagement of the arm 36 with the pin 35 may cause thepin 35 to lift the latch, and thus release the looper carrier from thesupport therefor. After the latch has been released, then the loopercarrier may be moved laterally on the looper shaft to inoperative orthreading position.

The arm 22 of the looper carrier, when the looper carrier is inoperative position, is disposed at one side of the lever 29 whichpermits the lever to swing freely. As soon, however, as the carrier ismoved to any extent to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, then thearm 22 of the looper carrier moves over the top of the lever 29. Thisarm 22 is extended so that any attempt to release the looper carrier andmove it laterally, when the front end of the lever 29 is raised, isprevented for the reason that the arm will strike the lever. When thelever is depressed, as shown in Fig. 14, then the arm 22 will move overthe top of the lever, and when the lever is released with the arm inthis position, the lever strikes the arm, and said arm prevents asuflicient movement of the lever to withdraw the upturned por tion 32from the recess in the collar 33. This collar 33, having the recess 34therein, together with the lever 29, performs the double function oftiming the release of the latch 26, so that it will be released when theloopers are at the rear end of their stroke, and of locking the shaftagainst rotation until the looper carrier is returned to operativeposition. When the loopers are at the rear end of their stroke, therecess 34 will register with the up-turned portion 32,

and this permits the lever to be depressed and the lifting of the latch.When the loopers are at the rear end of their stroke they may be movedlaterally without disturbing the previously formed stitches, as abovenoted, and without striking the needles. Just as soon as the lever isshifted laterally, the arm 22 moving over top of the lever 29 holds theup-turned portion 32 in the recess 34 until the looper carrier isreturned to its operative position. This positively locks the operatingshaft from movement, and this prevents the operator from starting themachine or turning the main shaft until the looper carrier and theloopers have been moved back to operative position. In other words, themain shaft is automatically locked against movement by the loopercarrier when said looper carrier is in inoperative position.

The latch 26 is formed with an extension 37 which is hook-shaped, andthis serves as a means whereby the looper carrier may be shiftedlaterally after it is released. A spring 38 normally holds the lever 29with the end 32 thereof retracted from engagement with the recess in thecollar 33..

The looper support 19 extends through the bearing 21 and on the endthereof is a sleeve 39. Said sleeve 39 is formed with a head 40 in whichis mounted to slide endwise a rod 41 carrying a ball stud 42. This rod41 is located so as to move diametrically relative to the looper support19. The ball 42 at the lower end of the rod 41 is connected to an arm 43carried by a vertical rock shaft 44. This arm 43 is clamped to the rockshaft by a suitable screw 45. The rock shaft 44 is journaled so as tooscillate freely on a supporting stud which extends down through the bed1 and is clamped thereto by a clamping nut 46. The rock shaft 44receives its oscillations from a lever 47 which is pivoted at 48 to thesupporting bed 1 of the machine. Said rock shaft, which a matter of factis in the form of a rocking sleeve, has a projecting arm 49, see Fig.10, which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 50, the other endof the link 50 being pivoted at 51 to the lever 47. The pivotalconnection between the link and the arm. 49 is indicated at 52. Thelever 47 is oscillated by an eccentric strap 53 which is connected atits outer end to a ball stud 54 fixed to the lever 47. Said eccentricstrap coiiperates with an eccentric 55 on the main range of movement ofthe arm 43 is from a position substantially in line with the axis of thelooper support 19, as shown in Fig. 5, to a position at right anglesthereto, as shown inFigs; 2 and 11 of the drawings. As the. ball 42moves in the arc of a circle within its limits of movement, as abovedescribed, the carrier supporting shaft 19 is oscillated and will bemoved endwise. The rod 41 carrying the ball 42 moves up and down in thesupporting head to permit this positive connection and, at the sametime, oscillating movements of the arm 43, as described.

When the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 6, the loopers are at therear end of their strokes. When the parts are positioned as shown inFigs. 2 and 11, then the loopers are at the forward end of their stroke.The lever 47 at its extreme outer stroke when the parts are positionedas shown in Fig. 5, and this position of the eccentric which operatesthe lever 47 is indicated in full lines in Fig. 8. When the eccentric isat the other end of its stroke, then the looper will be positioned asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. When the lever 47 moves from theposition shown in Fig. 5, the looper begins its forward movement, and asit moves forward the looper support 19 will be moved endwise. Thisendwise movement will be at first comparatively slow relative to theforward movement of the looper, and at the final movement of its strokeit will be comparatively fast relative to the forward move ment of thelooper. This movement of the parts causes the looper to move forwardwith a slight lateral movement when is entering the needle thread loop,and after the needle has raised above the looper, then thelooper movesrapidly laterally to the end of its stroke. This forward and lateralmovement of the looper is shown diagrammatically inFig. 9, and it willbe apparent from this figure that the looper, when at the forward end ofits stroke, has crossed the path of the needle. The looper threadrunning from the eye of the looper to its pre vious stitch is positionedwholly at the op posite side of the needle from that passedby the looperas it entered the needle loop.

When the looper reaches the forward end of its stroke, the lever 47 isin the position shown in Fig. 10. The pivotal point 51 between the lever47 and the link has crossed the line 0aw passing through the fulcrum ofthe lever 47 and the pivotal point 52 be tween the link 50 and the arm49. The re sult of this positioning of the parts is to give a dwell tothe rock shaft 44 and also a dwell to the looper support with the looperat the forward end of its stroke. Thls pen mits the needle to descendfor the next stitch and the needle point to pass the looper threadbefore the looper is retracted to any great extent, and after the needlepoint has passed the looper thread, then the looper will be quicklyretracted so that the needle may pass between the looper thread and thebody of the looper. The looper is slightly curved, as shown in Fig.9,.to facilitate the positioning of the looper thread, as above noted,and to insure that the needle may pass the looper without striking thesame. i

From the above it will be apparent that T have provided a looperoperating mechanism wherein the looper is operated by a direct train ofconnections from the main shaft beneath the work support. The looperismoved forward and laterally by the same train of mechanisms, the looperbeing given a dwell at the forward end of its stroke so as to permit theneedle to pass the looper thread before the looper is retracted, afterwhich the looper is quickly retracted so as to per nit the needle topass between the looper thread and the body of the looper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Thecombination with a work support, a main shaft located beneath the worksupport, a looper, a looper support on which said looper is mounted andmeans for oscillating the looper support and for moving said loopersupport endwise, said means including a lever located beneath the worksupport and oscillating in a horizontal plane, a rock shaft connected tosaid lever, a supporting head carried by the looper support, a rodmounted to move endwise transversely of the axis of the looper supportin said head, said rock shaft having a projecting arm and said arm beingconnected to said rock shaft, said rock shaft being disposed relative tothe looper support, so that the oscillations of said rock shaft impartto the looper support its oscillating and endwise movement.

2. The combination with a work support, a main shaft located beneath thework support, a looper, a looper support on which said looper ismounted, and means for oscillating said looper support and for movingsaid looper support endwise, including a lever pivoted to the bed platebeneath the work support so as to oscillate about a vertical axis, aneccentric on the main shaft, an eccentric strap cooperating therewithand connected to said lever for oscillating the same, a rock shaftlocated below the work support and operating about a vertical axissubstantially intersecting the axis of the looper support,

said rock shaft having a projecting arm, a

link connecting said projecting arm with said lever, said rock shafthaving a second arm, a supporting head carried by said looper support, arod mounted to move endwise transversely of the aXis of the loopersupport in said head, said rod being connected to the last-named arm ofthe rock shaft.

3. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cooperating witheach needle, a looper carrier on which said loopers are mounted, alooper support on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft,means for actuating said looper support from said shaft, means forcausing the looper carrier to oscillate with the looper support, meansfor holding said looper carrier from endwise movement on said loopersupport, including a latch, devices under the control of the operatorfor releasing the latch, and means timed by said shaft for preventingthe operation of the latch releasing devlces except when the loopers areat the rear ends of their strokes.

4-. A sewing machine including in combination, feeding mechanism, aneedle, means for operating the needle, a looper, a looper carrier onwhich said looper is mounted, a looper support on which the carrier ismounted, said looper support being disposed so that said looper movesback and forth substantially in the plane of the feed, a main shaft,means for actuating said looper support from said shaft, means forsecuring the looper carrier to the support, whereby the looper carriermay be moved laterally on the support to inoperative or threadingposition, and means for locking the main shaft against rotation whilesaid looper carrier is out of operative position.

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a feeding mechanism, aneedle, a looper cooperating with the needle and movable back and forthsubstantially in the plane of the feed, a looper carrier, a support forsaid looper carrier, a main shaft, means for operating said support fromsaid main shaft, means for connecting the looper car- ,rier to saidsupport whereby said carrier may be moved to inoperative or threadingposition, and means for preventing the movement of the looper carrier toinoperative or threading position except when the looper is at the rearend of its stroke.

6. A sewing machine including in combination, a feeding mechanism, aneedle, a looper cooperating with the needle and movable baclt and forthsubstantially in the plane of the feed, a looper carrier, a support forsaid looper carrier, a main shaft, means for operating said support fromsaid main shaft, means for connecting the looper carrier to said supportwhereby said carrier may be moved to inoperative or threading position,and means for preventing the movement of the looper carrier toinoperative or threading position except when the looper is the rear endof its stroke and for locking the shaft against rotation until saidlooper carrier is returned to operative position.

7. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cotiperating witheach needle, a looper car *ier on which said looper is mounted, a loopersupport on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft, means foractuating said looper carrier from said support, means for causing thelooper carrier to oscillate with the looper support, means for holdingsaid looper carrier from endwise movement on said looper supportincluding a latch, a lever, an arm carried by the lever, devicesoperated by said arm for releasing the latch, and means carried by themain shaft for preventing movement of the lever to release the latchexcept when the loopers are substantially at the rear end of theirstroke.

8. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cooperating witheach needle, a looper carrier on which said looper is mounted, a loopersupport on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft, means foractuating said looper carrier from said support, means for causing thelooper carrier to'oscillate with the looper support, means for holdingsaid looper carrier from endwise movement on said looper supportincluding a latch, a lever, an arm carried by the lever, devicesoperated by said arm for releasing the latch, and means carried by themain shaft for preventing movement of the lever to release the latchexcept when the loopers are substantially at the rear end of theirstrokes, said lever operating to prevent the rotation of the shaft untilthe looper carrier is returned to operative position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. l/Vitnesses:

J onn H. HOWELL, lV. BLANCIIARD.

